Sungai Gong Now Turns Black From Sewage Discharge

Editor's Note: This story has been updated to include Indah Water Konsortium's statement.

The incident was reported on Saturday, 19 September, following which the Selangor Water Management Authority (LUAS) confirmed receiving a report about the discolouration of the water in Sungai Gong.

A colourant discharge is believed to be the cause behind the river's inky water, according to LUAS.

An investigation conducted at the Department of Irrigation and Drainage's (DID) Flood Mitigation Pool inlet found that while the water had turned black suspected from dye, there was no odour.

LUAS, however, said that further investigations into the river's water quality found that the discharge of the foamy and coloured effluent was from the Indah Water Konsortium's (IWK) GBK 134 area 5 sewage treatment plant in the Rawang Industrial area, Bernama reported last night, 19 September.

An on-site sampling at the area found ammonia at 5.2mg/l and TSS (total suspended solids) at 47mg/l.

IWK, which is a government-owned company under the Minister of Finance Incorporated, has since halted both water flow from the incoming pump and the discharge of effluents, LUAS said.

LUAS had activated Code Yellow to halt operations in the main water treatment plants located at the downstream of Sungai Selangor. However, a joint-investigation with Pengurusan Air Selangor (Air Selangor) at the River Monitoring Station in Bandar Country Homes, Rawang, did not find any smell or traces of oil in the water, despite the water's inky colour.

Investigations at Sungai Sembah also found no smell or discolouration in the tributary of Sungai Selangor.

LUAS said that it will be monitoring the situation closely and noted that none of the water treatment plants in the state was shut down or affected by the incident. No water disruption has occurred.